OSAC Lexicon
The OSAC Lexicon is a compendium of forensic science terms and definitions. This terminology tool was created to help bring consistency and understanding to the way terms are used by the various forensic science. Use of the OSAC Lexicon does not replace the need to reference the original published source.
The terms and definitions in the OSAC Lexicon come from the published literature, including documentary standards and technical reports. It is continually updated with the latest work from OSAC units, as well as terms from newly published documentary standards and standards elevated to the OSAC Registry.
Gradually terms are evaluated and harmonized by the OSAC to a single term. This process results in an OSAC Preferred Term. An OSAC Preferred Term is a term, along with its definition, that has undergone review and evaluation by the FSSB Terminology Task Group and has been approved by the FSSB. The FSSB recommends that subcommittees use OSAC Preferred Terms when drafting standards.
The OSAC Lexicon should be the primary resource for terminology and used when drafting and editing forensic science standards and other OSAC work products.
Entrainment
The process of air or gases being drawn into a fire, plume, or jet.
Environmental Conditioning
See acclimation.
environmental control
specimen(s) used to demonstrate that the collection or analysis environment is free of pGSR.
Environmental Enrichment
The process of improving the mental and physical welfare of animals by providing behavioral choices through enhancements to their environment.
Environmental Enrichment
The process of improving the mental and physical welfare of animals by providing behavioral choices through enhancements to their environment.
Environmental Soundness
The ability of the canine to work, maneuver, search and rest in various conditions of noise, odor, surfaces without demonstrating fear or anxiety.
Environmental Soundness
The ability of the canine to work, maneuver, search and rest in various conditions of noise, odor, surfaces without demonstrating fear or anxiety
Environmental Training/Testing
Instruction and evaluation procedures used to teach a canine to work, and determine whether a canine can work, in a variety of operational environments with increasing biological and physical complexity, which may distract or inhibit the canine from work. The training and testing, respectively, are designed to teach the canine to work, and assure that the canine can work, in a variety of operational environments, some of which may be extreme.
Enzyme
A catalytic protein that can speed up a specific chemical reaction without being changed or consumed in the process.
epsilon (ε)
any vibration direction in the plane of the c axis for uniaxial crystals.
Equipment
erasure
The area where material has been removed from a document by chemical, abrasive, or other means.
Escape Peak
Escape Peak
Escape Training
A conditioning technique in which the subject canine learns to escape or terminate an unpleasant stimulus.
Escape/Escape Behavior
The relationship between a performance and an aversive stimulus in which the performance terminates the aversive stimulus.
estimate/estimation
An approximation derived from a statistical sample of a population.
Estimated Age Interval
The estimated age interval expresses the mathematically determined minimum and maximum associated age range at a particular level of uncertainty.
Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (Eva)
euhedral
well-formed crystals bounded by plane faces.
evaluation
Consists of the consideration of data observed in the comparison and the weight of the correspondence and/or non-correspondence between two items, unknown and known.
evaluation (phase of the examination process)
The weighting of the aggregate strength of the evidence (observed similarities and dissimilarities when considering two competing propositions) between the observed data in the friction ridge impressions being compared in order to formulate a source conclusion.
evaluation (phase of the examination process)
The weighting of the aggregate strength of the evidence (observed similarities and dissimilarities when considering two competing propositions) between the observed data in the friction ridge impressions being compared in order to formulate a source conclusion.
evaluation (phase of the examination process)
The weighting of the aggregate strength of the evidence (observed similarities and dissimilarities when considering two competing propositions) between the observed data in the friction ridge impressions being compared in order to formulate a source conclusion.
evaluative interpretation
interpretation guided by a set of relevant propositions and aimed at generating likelihood ratios
Note 1 to entry: Evaluative interpretation can be used in a judicial setting or in an investigation.
Evaluator
An individual with relevant training and experience in the discipline being evaluated, who assesses the performance of canine, canine handler, or canine team while showing no bias or partiality. (See certifying official/assessor.)
Evaporation
Evidence
A body of facts, information, or material objects indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid.
Evidence
A body of facts, information, or material objects indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid.
Evidence
A body of facts, information, or material objects indicating whether a theory or proposition is true or valid.
Evidence
A body of facts, information, or material objects indicating whether a theory or proposition is true or valid.
Evidence Search
The process of a canine locating and indicating items that contain a trained odor/human scent. This may be non-specific or targeted based on the discipline. (See article search.)
Evidence Search
The process of a canine locating and indicating items that contain a trained human scent. This may be non-targeted or targeted based on the discipline.
Evidence Search Dog
A canine trained to locate and indicate items in question by means of detecting a trained odor/ human scent.
evidentiary data
Data generated from an evidentiary sample and not from a reference sample.
Evidentiary Data
Data derived from biological specimens of unknown source.
evidentiary sample
Biological sample recovered from a crime scene or collected from persons or objects associated with a crime.
examination
part of the forensic process consisting of the recovery and analysis of items, and the interpretation of observations obtained from the analysis of items
Note 1 to entry: See Annex A for a flowchart of the forensic process.
examination
Mechanism that is part of the assessment which measures a candidate's competence by one or more means, such as written, oral, practical, and observational, as defined in the certification scheme.
Examination Quality Photograph
Examination Quality Photograph
A photograph that contains sufficient quality of information for the purpose of conducting aforensic footwear and tire examination.
examination strategy
choice of method(s) and sequence of methods for the examination
Note 1 to entry: An examination strategy is based in part on relevant case questions and background information.
Note 2 to entry: An examination strategy can be applied to the examination of a scene, the examination of items or sequential multi-discipline examination of items.
Examiner
examiner (friction ridge, competent friction ridge examiner
An individual authorized to conduct independent friction ridge examinations for the forensic service provider by observing and interpreting data, making decisions, forming conclusions and opinions, issuing reports and/or providing testimony. Use of the term “examiner” in this document refers to a “competent friction ridge examiner” and not a “trainee.”
Examiner (friction ridge)
An individual authorized to conduct independent friction ridge examinations for the forensic service provider by observing and interpreting data, making decisions, forming conclusions and opinions, issuing reports and/or providing testimony. Use of the term “examiner” in these documents refers to a “competent friction ridge examiner” and not a “trainee.”
examiner (friction ridge) ‐ (compare to trainee)
An individual who has successfully completed their FSP’s training program, and is authorized to conduct independent friction ridge examinations for the FSP by observing and interpreting data, making decisions, forming conclusions and opinions, issuing reports and/or providing testimony. Use of the term “examiner” in these documents refers to a “friction ridge examiner” and not a “trainee,” refer to those definitions for further clarification.
examiner (friction ridge) – (compare to trainee)
An individual who has successfully completed their FSP’s training program, and is authorized to conduct independent friction ridge examinations for the FSP by observing and interpreting data, making decisions, forming conclusions and opinions, issuing reports and/or providing testimony. Use of the term “examiner” in these documents refers to a “friction ridge examiner” and not a “trainee.” Refer to those definitions for further clarification.
examiner (friction ridge) (compare to competent friction ridge examiner)
An individual authorized to conduct independent friction ridge examinations for the forensic service provider by observing and interpreting data, making decisions, forming conclusions and opinions, issuing reports and/or providing testimony. Use of the term “examiner” in these documents refers to a “competent friction ridge examiner” and not a “trainee.”
Exchange Schema
Although NIEM contains thousands of elements it does not contain everything needed inan XML exchange. It contains the most common building blocks. In addition,implementers can define, in other exchange schemas, user-defined elements from theimplementers domain.